Reviewer Shout-Outs
Mike: Glad you're enjoying it so far.
NumbuhOneHoney07: Thank you for reviewing this story, as well as "December Wishes." Val is a fun character to write about. I always like when people enjoy my pairing her with Twister.
Val got out her portable radio, tuning it to a classic rock station. Chuy flopped onto a blanket and produced a deck of cards from his back pocket.
"Anybody know how to play poker?" he asked.
There were headshakes all around. The same thing happened when Chuy suggested blackjack and double deuce. Sighing defeatedly, he joined the others in a game of Frisbee.
"So how long have you known Chuy?" Otto asked.
"Since I was five," Val replied. "It was through Chuy I met Rod."
Chuy told his side of the story. "I'd just moved here. I missed all my friends. One day, my mom got sick of me moping around. She says, 'Jesus, I think you should go play with the little girl next door.' I said I didn't want to. Next day, Mom decides to go shopping, and she left me with our new neighbors: the Lightnings'."
"You were so shy around me. It was adorable," Val added, grinning at the memory.
"Of course I was shy," said Chuy. "I didn't speak English at the time."
"He finally came around when my mom brought chocolate chip cookies into the equation." said Val.
"Almost every day afterward, I'd come over to play with Val," Chuy continued. "After six months, I finally learned English."
"We've been best friends ever since," said Val. "When I was eight, Chuy introduced me to his friend Roderick. Meeting him was different 'cause Rod isn't the least bit shy."
The three companions chuckled a bit. Val sent the Frisbee aloft again.
"So what kinda stuff is there to do here?" asked Otto.
"Well, you can swim in my pool, shoot hoops at the rec center, there's a video arcade a few miles away..." said Val, ticking off activities on her fingers. "A carnival's in town. And sometime this week, we gotta take ya down to Friendship Fell."
"What's that?" asked Twister.
"Friendship Fell is this hill on the other side of town," said Roderick. "It's so steep that one wrong move will cause a nasty case of road rash. You wouldn't believe how many people have wiped out on it."
"Even Bucky Lasek couldn't make it to the bottom," said Chuy. "He tried to conquer the hill last summer. We all went up there to watch him."
Val shook her head solemnly. "It was ugly. I think he ended up breaking an arm in two places."
Reggie nervously shifted her weight to one leg. She knew this was going to be too tempting for her brother to pass up. And if Bucky Lasek couldn't do it...she hated to think what would happen to anybody else who took on that hill.
0-0-0-0-0
Night began to fall. Tiki torches were erected, creating a tropical vibe. Multi-colored lights winked from the top of a palm tree. Robert Lightning was manning the grill while his wife arranged the picnic table. Besides the chicken Robert was grilling, there were chips, fruit salad, two pitchers of Val's special recipe lemonade, and caramel/fudge brownies.
The kids were currently out on the water. The waves weren't all that strong, but Val still immensely enjoyed the challenge surfing at night presented.
"Hey, let's try a tandem ride," Chuy said to Val.
"I don't know..." she said, looking hesitant.
"Come on. You know I wouldn't let you fall."
Val slid off her board, paddling toward Chuy. Being the lightest, she would stand close to the nose. Chuy placed his hands on Val's hips to steady her, not catching Twister's glare. Twister thought he was ignoring him on purpose.
Chuy was saved from a serious beating by Robert calling the kids for dinner. By following the tiki torches and Christmas lights, the gang found their way back to shore.
Soon, they were all gathered around the picnic table. Not much talk was exchanged at first, but conversation picked up with time. Otto asked Val when she would take them to Friendship Fell. She didn't give him a straight answer.
"Pass the chips and fruit salad, please," said Roderick.
"I see your appetite's back. Things can only get better from here, amigo." Val raised her cup. "Salud."
Chuy, Otto, Twister, Reggie, and Lars joined the toast.
Jenna and Robert brought a half-gallon of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream out to the gang. Most of it was gone within forty-five minutes.
A rocking guitar riff blared from the radio, Quiet Riot's "Party All Night," an appropriate song for the occasion. Roderick, Val, Chuy, and Reggie began doing Rockette style kicks atop the picnic table. The radio station cut to a commercial break, which allowed everyone to catch their breath.
"Ai, ai, ai, ai...!" a group of male voices boomed.
The following was one of the strangest sights any of the group had ever seen. An entire mariachi band stood on the sand, in full regalia, belting out tunes just for them.
Val grabbed Chuy's hand. Chuy rested his hand on the small of Val's back; her hand took the same spot on him. They began to move across the sand: stepping and twirling, wiggling and prancing.
Val and Chuy had obviously danced together many times. Each person seamlessly matched their partner's moves. Their skills were worthy of Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights.
Twister put on a brave face, but secretly sulked. Again Val had deserted him.
"I don't get it," he said more to himself than anyone else. "Val can see him any old time. Am I invisible or something?"
The band finished the song to a smattering of applause.
"Conga line!" screamed the guitar player.
The group took a serpentine trail around the yard. Even Val's parents joined the fun. Twister forgot all about Chuy and just had a good time.
Robert and Jenna forced a cutoff at ten o'clock. Val could have easily pulled off a much longer party, but didn't argue much. Otto, Reggie, and Lars were tired, so they went to bed.
Val gazed up at the starry sky, leaning back against Twister's chest. He loosely draped his arms around her waist.
"Isn't it beautiful?" Val breathed.
"Not as pretty as you," said Twister.
He looked down to see that she was asleep in his arms. He smiled, then planted a kiss on top of her head.